Government Shutdown Hurting Beer Production

BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC) - The government shutdown is causing a headache for
local breweries. As long as the government is shutdown they can't roll
out any new products.

The breweries that are hurting most from the shutdown are the ones trying to get new products up and running. They aren't able to get approval for new recipes or approval for bottling labels. But if the shutdown continues, it will have a negative impact on
all of our local breweries.

Avondale Brewing Company in Birmingham had no idea the government shutdown
would impact them directly. It wasn't until they logged on to the Alcohol and
Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau website and tried to submit a request that they
realized they had a problem. They received a message on the website explaining that as long as the government is shutdown, they can't process any requests.

"Anything we make from now on until they open back up will not be
allowed to be distributed in the market," said Taylor Lander with Avondale
Brewing Company.

Lander says for the most part they are luck since the shutdown is only
affecting new production. But their plan to roll out seasonal beers or to
continue expanding their bottling is what's hurting them.

"That could
affect us in a negative way if it does go on for too long," said Lander.

At Highland Package, David Gorji isn't that worried.

"For the time
being we're okay. We haven't felt any effect yet, but I'm sure people are going
to be looking for what's new in the market because we have some customers all
they want is new beer, every week," said Gorji.

"Maybe it works
out that people get to know what's in the market before we add anymore beers to
our selection."

Back in Avondale, they just want to keep growing.

"You're sitting on
all these new products, and ideas, trying to be creative, and then you just
can't do anything with them," said Lander.

Also there's the concern of the backlog that will take place once the
government is back up and running. Already with the growing number of
breweries popping up across the country the process has been slow.